SWP: flash mobs against repossession?
Posted on Wednesday 31 December, 2008
Filed Under The left
DIRECT action against housing evictions is a tactic last adopted by the far left in London in the 1930s. You can read the inspiring details in Phil Piratin’s biography Our Flag Stays Red, an excellent book that I once owned but have somehow mislaid over the years.
Piratin, later Communist MP for Stepney, tells how Communist Party members mobilised mass blockades outside the apartments of working class families threatened with losing their homes, so preventing the bailiffs from gaining access.
Famously, in June 1937 they even suceeded in keeping the roof over the heads of two British Union of Fascists-supporting families at a block called Paragon Mansions in Mile End; those they assisted soon turned their back on the Mosleyites.
North of the border, of course, Scottish Militant Labour organised in similar fashion to prevent poindings and warrant sales during the struggle against the poll tax in the late 1980s, and good on ‘em.
So I was intrigued to come across a poorly-produced computer printout flyer without any graphics, sellotaped to a phone booth in Stoke Newington last night. Here it is, with grammatical errors intact:
ARE YOU/SOMEONE YOU KNOW FACING REPOSSESSION?
0207 819 1170/1172 www.swp.org.uk
- We have 100s of people ready to stop bailiffs evicting.
- Public gatherings in public streets are OFF property – let innocent repo victims of dodgy banker’s playing an accumulator bet know this.
- Resist new Govt powers bailiffs, bailout baniks and repo courts have to pindown family/friends/neighbours in own home and get hands on wives/daughters/sisters.
- If you tolerate this then your children will be next.
While there is no mention of who is behind the initiative – and I entirely approve of it, let me stress – your starter for ten is that the telephone numbers and the website listed are those of the Socialist Workers’ Party.
With repossessions set to skyrocket in 2009, this is the sort of effort that is clearly worth a shot. But the obvious question is whether this is a new policy officially sanctioned by the centre, a project by the local branch, an unauthorised move by one or more off-message member, or simply a hoax. If it does have the blessing of the central committee, one would expect rather better publicity material.
And assuming the leaflet is genuine, can the SWP really get hundreds of people out at relatively short notice? That is a tall order, even in Hackney North, the closest the party gets to calling anywhere a traditional powerbase. And what’s all this stuff about wives, daughters and sisters? Odd wording.
As ever, I’d be grateful for further information and any comments. Is this turn being adopted elsewhere in the country? Are any other leftwing organisations planning something like this? Do you think it is a good idea in principle? Would you join in such actions yourself?
<<Go back
Comments
32 Responses to “SWP: flash mobs against repossession?”
Christ. So even the SWP is prioritising asset-owners facing “repossession” over working class tenants who face the much less drawn-out process known as “eviction”.
Bourgeois twats.
Can’t see that this is for real, although I support it 101%. I wish it was for real and that the SWP (or any left group) could command 100s, but those days are in abeyance. As Jerry Springer, likes to say, ‘What goes around, comes around.’.
Haha I know who did this. It is a very over enthusiastic new SWP member called Lionel who has a possibly slightly exaggerated view of the current strength of the left.
PS don’t give him your phone number he won’t stop texting me
a very over enthusiastic new SWP member
How long has he got before he
a) becomes bitter and cynical (who wouldn’t, if you believe the offical membership figures and then quickly discover the truth?)
b) resigns
Absolutely. Why wouldn’t we support something like this? Even in the case of eviction as a result of the credit crunch, we should be prepared to organize whole buildings to seize the property themselves.
The New Labour years have seen endless numbers of councils and construction firms finding their way around the social housing rules of the government – and no indications by the government of those rules being tightened up.
With so many homeless in the UK, I think we have ample justification to lock bailiffs out of tenement buildings and council estates. If historical precedent is on our side, with the CP in the 1930′s, so much the better.
Nor is it a matter of prioritising ‘asset owners’ over council tenants. The whole point of this sub-prime nonsense was to sell mortgages to those who couldn’t afford them – resulting in a lot of tenants becoming asset owners. And why should we defend such people?
I mean why *shouldn’t* we defend such people?
John B -
Yeah, but is Lionel a Reesite or a Callinicos Boy? Or doesn’t he know yet?
Dave S -
Sure, this is fully supportable in principle, although the trick will be mobilising sufficient numbers for sufficient periods of time on working days.
Whether he is, a very over enthusiastic new SWP member or not, it is still a good idea! The sort of idea that could gain support from outside the SWP.
PS,(I’m not the same John from a previous comment)
Because, Dave S, there are a certain number of homes. We have a choice between defending people who chose to become owners of assets they can’t afford, or recycling those assets.
What we should be doing is demanding that instead of selling them at auction at a knock-down price to a cowboy landlord, the now-state-owned banks make them available to people on the waiting list on the basis of need, not ability to pay.
the trick will be mobilising sufficient numbers for sufficient periods of time on working days.
Unfortunately, in the next few months the idea of working days is going to be an abstract one for lots of people in this country.
Is this not down to to Ian Bone and his mates having a larf at the Swoppies’ expense?
Be serious, maybe the SWP could defend their pints to the last gulp, but someone’s gaff?
Excellent idea and initiative – whether for real or not.
“over enthusiastic” member – there is no such thing! Cynicism is the opposite of communism. And it’s excellent to see someone thinking outside of the box (c.f. with the very ‘in the box’ thinking in Lindsey German’s Mayoral campaign)
More power to Lionel, I’d guess he may be young. Spoke to a Workers Power member a few months ago who had a unique and very cheap way of getting advertising for his organisation. Was obvious and don’t know why no-one had ever thought of it before. He was about 18. I have often thought all members of central committees should be retired at 29 max.
And then shot.
-
Minor point on housing. I seem to recall reading, in Ron Bailey’s ‘The Squatters’, that the CPGB were involved in squatting the homeless just after the war – and various anarchists, and one Trot – me (that I know of) – were involved in London squatting in the 80s.
Although that’s not resisting eviction though (although we did occasionally do that as well).
If this is for real I would say great!
Because the SWP were so effective at preventing a George Galloway evicting them from their premises.
I seem to recall reading, in Ron Bailey’s ‘The Squatters’, that the CPGB were involved in squatting the homeless just after the war – and various anarchists, and one Trot – me (that I know of) – were involved in London squatting
Are you Piers Corbyn in disguise, then Southpawpunch?
I’m not that person (he’s somewhat older than me and he first squatted in the mid 70s) but it’s also wrong to speculate thus, or allow such speculation to remain, about someone such as myself who wishes to blog anonymously.
the CP certainly were involved in post-war squatting, but it started spontaneously (by a cinema projectionist from Scunthorpe occupying a hut in a disused army camp) and the party for the most part followed on, trying to use the movement negotiate changes in housing policy. I think they organised the occupation of the big posh houses in Kensington though (not sure the name of the road).
I have a slight acquaintanceship with Piers Corbyn and I can vouch that SouthpawPunch is not he. Mr Corbyn is a mild-mannered gentleman and a dedicated scientist, not a man prone to violent fantasies and braggodacio.
Pity poor Lionel.
If this idea had any legs the SWP’s self-serving opportunism in using any campaign as nothing more than a conduit to recruiting new paper sellers will ensure that it’s cut off at the knees.
On the business of the left and squatting, wasn’t one of the programmes in the ‘Lefties’ series devoted to the left and squatting during the 70s?
According to the blurb for the programme:
Property Is Theft
Thursday 11 October 2007 (Originally Broadcast 8 February 2006)
This programme looks at Villa Road, a squatted street in Brixton in the 70s where residents lived by their left-wing beliefs of communal living, collective action and a commitment to Marxist ideology.
Doesn’t exactly sound like Tom and Barbara from the Good Life.
The ’1970′s’ squatting movement started in 1969 mainly in the Ilford area of E London, as the then new Redbridge Council was carrying out a ‘slash and burn’policy of demolition of older housing. Itw as led, i recall by two veterans of the Commitee of 100 and Solidarity – Jim Radford and Ron Bailey. Both, i gather, are still around in the stop the war movement and in green politics. They has a little helper in the shape of a guy called – i think Lional Sims – who was the local IS oppos on the patch. Unlike the later squatting movement,it actually helped local working class familes, as opposed to the sons and daughters of the middle class who wanted a bit of cheap adventure in their housing choice.
Yeah, it was, but I watched the series, in hope, and was disappointed. As I recall it was stuff like – Macrobiotic diet = hardcore Marxist.
Piers Corbyn was involved in the well known Tolmers Square (?) squat in London in the 70s and guess he may well have been in the IMG then; but his politics were seriously downhill by the 80s, when I first met him (although he told me some interesting stuff on Climate Change when I met him a year or two ago – it’s all a con, in short.) I was silly to respond to the name, forgetting my new policy or not confirming or denying (no matter how ludicrous), but I will stick to that policy strictly in future.
I wrote elsewhere how maybe groups like the AWL (but I could expand it to most) just can’t grow and maybe they should save their pennies and get in some management consultants to advise on how to be bigger. I don’t mean it fully in jest and I think groups are kidding themselves if they can work it out themselves; I mean look at the results.
What I am very sure about is that there is a critical lack of initiative locally. I fear too many Leftists just await (inadequate) direction from the centre. What shall the branch do? Paper sale, factory sale, SU sale, attend various meetings, build the London march – which is all well and good but what about some outside the box thinking:
- You know the railway bridge on the main road into town which is currently covered up; I reckon we can get in there and do some graffiti before it reopens. Not your usual crap, here’s a witty design.
- Did you know the city will be hosting a large event for computer fantasy role planning next month; I’ve got a mate whose does it and he says they’re mainly penniless students and he reckons we easily use a programme and do our own ‘destroy the capitalists’ role play stall there for next to nothing.
- I’ve done some digging and found out that the District Council have illegally closed the promenade whilst the new business centre is built. Closure permission expired last month and we all now there have been lots of complaints. Let’s say we organise a walk (not ‘march’) to the fence to demand our legal access.
A key resource is young people; they don’t have that incredible cynicism so prevalent here and elsewhere (see any post about the difficulties of the SWP – and the 100 comments or ‘Lionel’s Bart’ above) nor do they have that history of getting nowhere in 10, 20, 30 years.
If I was Left group, I would get my young or new members in for a full brainstorm; nothing off limits, what they think about our organisation, how can we grow – with flip charts, break out groups, facilitators, the full works and with a way of getting feedback from those not confident to raise issues publicly (What’s with all these dead Russians? Nobody’s interested in all that stuff).
I would make Lionel one of the facilitators. Good on him.
Piers had only a slight connection with the Tolmer’s Square squat – he was mainly in other areas (I think he was down at Brixton).
We used to have IMG Cell Meetings in Tolmer’s Square. And there some pretty wild parties there: dig those Krazy Kats daddy-o!
PS: isn’t the world now turned to Tommy Sheridan being on Big Brother!
Sod the Middle East, is oor Tommy gonna win the prize that eluded Kitty Galloway?
I do not think he will be winning any prizes. Galloway did not do his reputation any good in the House, I doubt whether the Tan Man will do any better.
I suspect he is doing it for the money, and because he is an inveterate self-publicist.
Mr Corbyn is a mild-mannered gentleman and a dedicated scientist, not a man prone to violent fantasies and braggodacio.
..and not a man who couldn’t recognise irony either, Sue R.
Southpawpunch:
Piers Corbyn was not a Tolmer’s Square squatter. IIRC, he contributed an article to a book on squatting edited by Nick Wates, a Tolmers Square squatter. You may have been thinking of this. Piers was very involved in the Elgin Avenue squat in the 1970s [Westbourne Grove area] where he published a bulletin, EASY and was a prominent supporter of the Huntley Street squatters. Late 70s/early 80s he moved south of the river, living in Rust(!) Square. Piers was a well known member of the IMG in those days. Very active in a real movement, he only tended to turn up to “Cell Meetings” during the preconference periods to vote for the Ross/Grogan cabal. Piers was subject to a political attack from one of the opposition factions who denounced his squatting politics as lacking an analysis of finance capital and missing transitional demands!!
As we say in Ireland,
” Ní fheicimíd a leithéid arís” (We will never see his likes again.)
Manic street preachers fan club swoop into action.
Is there a real way to stop the banks from cutting their own throats in their desire to rebuild balance books?
A law that repossessed property cannot be sold for 12 months? Redundancy insurance is compulsory?
An offer to pay “x” of “y” can be refered to an ombudsman?
who knows
If I was Left group, I would get my young or new members in for a full brainstorm; nothing off limits, what they think about our organisation, how can we grow – with flip charts, break out groups, facilitators, the full works and with a way of getting feedback from those not confident to raise issues publicly (What’s with all these dead Russians? Nobody’s interested in all that stuff).
Mr Punch is Sir Richard Branson.
By day, a multi-millionaire business entrepreneur and celebrity aviator and by night, in his secret identity on the Internet, a radical revolutionary firebrand.
Just like Bruce Wayne/The Batman.
I loved the idea about recruiting World of Warcraft players into revolutionary parties. Perhaps the sects should adopt similar techniques and introduce a level system of advancement – this would give new members something to aim at – once you’ve sold 10,000 papers you get to level 10 in the SWP and gain additional powers, possibly a mount you can ride around on or a fancy new costume to wear at meetings.
“By day, a multi-millionaire business entrepreneur and celebrity aviator” I’d be more Howard Hughes (through James Ellroy), than Branson. Baskin-Robbins’ Banana Nut ice cream sounds delicious.
But I’m really the Joker.
“Some men aren’t looking for anything logical, like money. They can’t be bought, bullied, reasoned or negotiated with.
Some men just want to watch the world burn.”
I’d be more Howard Hughes
Wearing shoe boxes as slippers and sitting alone in a darkened room surrounded by milk bottles full of your own wee.
It makes sense given that Ellroy depicted Hughes as involved in a conspiracy to kill Kennedy and you recently wrote in praise of Lee Harvey Oswald.
But I’m really the Joker.
Totally insane. Spouts raving gibberish that almost sounds like a coherent world view. Needs a long duration stay in a room with rubber walls. Yes, I can see that.
Perhaps the sects should adopt similar techniques and introduce a level system of advancement – this would give new members something to aim at
Scientology?
Far too expensive for most potential revolutionary socialists – they already balk at the modest party membership dues, never mind paying thousands of pounds to become the Marxist equivalent of Operating Thetans. I thought the World of Warcraft ‘grind’ – where players have to perform repetitive tasks in order to gain experience points that allow them to advance within the system would offer a better model. Although with Pinter’s death, the sects probably need a new celebrity face as a front man much like L Ron Hubbard’s crew have Tom Cruise or John Travolta so maybe upping the cost of membership would attract a few big names.
I’m not too convinced this flyer is genuine at all.
Either it’s a hoax or knocked up by a rank and file member who’s English is not a first language.
The anti-repossession campaign is a very important one, one that the SWP should (and I imagine hopes to) involve itself in.
But it cannot be just the SWP, as that is not how campaigns should be fought. All of the left have a responsibility to work together on this.